


Dreamers

by barelyhuman



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Gen, Hoshido | Birthright Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 09:17:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6798070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barelyhuman/pseuds/barelyhuman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Ryoma wonders what its like to dream, and Xander wonders if he can escape from them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dreamers

Ryoma rarely dreamed. But in the rare times he did, he imagines he dreams of his family, happy and whole. Or so he supposes. He could never remember his dreams, if he ever had them at all. But that was silly right? Everyone had dreams. Everyone would include Ryoma, as the castle diviner has implicitly told him.

* * *

Xander dreamed too much. Or so he supposes. He didn’t know exactly how much was too much, and he had no idea how to find out. He only knew that his dreams, as they were every night, and even during those secretive cat naps he sneaked throughout the day, were completely vivid and entrancing. A stark contrast to the landscape he wakes up to every day. Xander dreams of his family’s happiness; of picnics in lush fields with Elise, to shopping in bustling markets with Leo. Xander dreams plenty, and a small small part of him wishes they would never end.

* * *

Orochi had gone on to tell him that dreams were the epitome of their desires. A film of emotions and hidden needs, which made themselves present in the theatre of the unaware mind. Ryoma had surmised then, that if he were to dream of anything at all, it would be of the glory of Hoshido, and the happiness of his family.

* * *

Corrin had left, but even in her absence, Xander would never forget her laugh. He hears it every night, echoing in the hallways of his dreams. There, her betrayal was forgotten, and they would train together, eat together and exist together, whole and happy. Every morning that passes finds his will to wake weaker than the last.

* * *

Corrin had arrived. She had chosen them. She had chosen the glory of Hoshido, and the happiness of their family. Secretly Ryoma felt pride that his not-dreams were realized. He had worried, that without proper dreams, his desires were not strong enough, that he wouldn’t be able to meet them. He was happy to be wrong.

* * *

Later Xander realises, this safe haven he was so used to retreating into, cannot continue. His will rejects them, as his desires are split in half, a long jagged half that wrenches more than he would have liked out of his heart. His family can never be whole again, not as long as his desire for Nohr's victory remains. Not if Corrin, his sister, his protégé, still stands on enemy ground. He considers removing his dreams entirely, Leo would surely know a spell for it. But even if he lists down all the pros of relief from the increasingly torturous dreams, a small secret part of Xander doesn’t want to let go. He knew, better than anyone, how important those dreams were in retaining his sanity.

He dreams of their family, happy and whole. When he dreams, he is happy.

* * *

Ryoma wishes for dreams, but he thinks that perhaps, they aren’t so important after all.

**Author's Note:**

> First post on here! And also the first fanfiction I've written in quite a while LOL. Hope you liked it.


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